Coming From the Lighthouse

Printer Friendly Version (click here) April 14, 2008

In This Issue -

Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) Director Promotes the Mystics.

Oprah, Butterworth, Tolle and the Divinity of Man

This Month in the World of Contemplative/Emerging

Contemplative Retreat Center Being Built for World Leaders

The New Old Spirituality

Tony Blair: Religion Must be Saved from Extremism

New Lighthouse Trails Books for 2008

Newsletter in Print - Coming Soon

Book Spotlights

Quick Links

Helpful Resources

A Special Note

What is Contemplative Spirituality?

definition: contemplative spirituality: a belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology; the premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all).

Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) Director Promotes the Mystics

The Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) is a digital (online) library of hundreds of Christian books, most of which are older (classic) publications in the public domain (non-copyrighted). The CCEL is an outreach of Calvin College and is highly popular, used by thousands of people a year.

In July 2007, Lighthouse Trails reported that CCEL was promoting mystic Madame Guyon. It was Guyon who said: "Here [the contemplative state] everything is God. God is everywhere and in all things." The Christian History Institute said this of Guyon: "Modern critics say that Jeanne-Marie used self-hypnosis to achieve her 'spiritual' states and trances and point out that she used 'automatic writing' which suggests spiritualist practice. They wonder that she had so little to say about Christ (in proportion to the total number of words she wrote)." 1

On April 1, 2008, in the CCEL newsletter, Harry Plantinga, director of CCEL, stated that when he was growing up, there was more focus on "correct belief" (doctrine) than about "loving God" and that he found this to leave him wanting to know God, not just know about Him. He came to believe that the answer to this dilemma was in mysticism, stating that "Christian mysticism addresses that longing of the heart."

Plantinga quotes Webster's dictionary as saying that in mysticism it is "possible to achieve communion with God through contemplation and love without the medium of human reason." This definition is actually quite accurate in describing mysticism. "Without the medium of human reason" means without considering doctrine or theology. This is the conclusion that mystic Thomas Merton arrived at. Ray Yungen documents correspondence Merton had with a Sufi master. The two were discussing fana (eastern mysticism). Merton asked the Sufi leader what the Muslim view of salvation was. The Sufi answered that Islam "does not subscribe to the doctrine of atonement or the theory of redemption."2 Merton replied:

"Personally, in matters where dogmatic beliefs differ, I think that controversy is of little value because it takes us away from the spiritual realities into the realm of words and ideas ... in words there are apt to be infinite complexities and subtleties which are beyond resolution.... But much more important is the sharing of the experience of divine light, ... It is here that the area of fruitful dialogue exists between Christianity and Islam."3

Those who study contemplative spirituality from a critical point of view come to understand this is pure contemplative spirituality - doctrine stands in the way of unity and oneness; mysticism eradicates that problem.

In the April 1st, CCEL newsletter Harry Plantinga points readers to an online study group calling it an "interesting" and "compelling" introduction to mysticism. The group is using a book by mystic Evelyn Underhill - Practical Mysticism. In mysticism proponent Richard Kirby's book, The Mission of Mysticsm, Kirby identifies Underhill as someone who can be looked to as a mystic, calling her "prominent among those charting the geography of spiritual development (p. 50). But Kirby admits that this mystical spirituality is no different than occultism:

"The meditation of advanced occultists is identical with the prayer of advanced mystics; it is no accident that both traditions use the same word for the highest reaches of their respective activities: contemplation (samadhi in yoga)." (emphasis in original)4

This presents quite a dilemma for CCEL. Plantinga, whether he knows it or not, is pointing readers to someone who, for all practical purposes, was an occultist. Ray Yungen explains why we would say this about Underhill:

"Many Christian writers use terms such as pantheism or monism in an attempt to explain what New Agers believe; however, these words alone are rather limiting in conveying the big picture. The best explanation I have come across is from a book titled The Mission of Mysticism, which states:

"[O]ccultism [New Ageism] is defined as the science of mystical evolution; it is the employment of the hidden (i.e., occult) mystical faculties of man to discern the hidden reality of nature; i.e., to see God as the all in all.(p. 6)

"These mystical faculties are the distinguishing mark of this movement--a mystical perception rather than simple belief or faith. A Christian writer once described this movement as a system of thought when, in fact, it is more aptly defined as a system of non-thought. Meditation teacher Ann Wise explained this by stating:

"A man came to see me once saying that he had meditated for an hour a day every day for twelve years. Although he enjoyed the time he spent sitting, he felt he was missing something. From talking to other meditators, he felt that he must have been doing something wrong because he had none of the experiences that he had heard others describe. I measured his brainwaves while he was "meditating" and discovered that he had spent those twelve years simply thinking!5

"This is why this particular style of meditation is commonly referred to as the silence. This is not silence as being in a quiet environment but inner silence as in an empty mind that opens up the mystical faculties. "The enemy of meditation is the mind," wrote one New Age teacher.6  ...

"I challenge the Christian community to look at the facts surrounding the contemplative prayer movement and see its connection to New Age occultism and Eastern mysticism. Just because a writer is emotionally stirring, sincere, and uses biblical language does not necessarily mean he or she advocates sound, biblical truths."(A Time of Departing, pp. 14,16, 89)

Yungen is absolutely right! And Lighthouse Trails beseeches CCEL to consider this. Just because Underhill and other mystics are emotionally stirring, often sincere, and coat their teachings with biblical language does NOT mean they are biblical!

In a CCEL newsletter last December, Plantinga listed several contemplative authors including Thomas Merton and Brother Lawrence and said these books "make a difference in people's lives, through the action of the Holy Spirit." 7 We would propose that the spirituality that made Brother Lawrence "dance violently like a mad man"8 and made Thomas Merton liken the presence of God to an LSD trip(9) is not the "action of the Holy Spirit" but is rather the action of familiar spirits of which the Bible so carefully and thoroughly warns against. On the contrary, it is the Holy Spirit that bears witness to the message of the Cross (see 1 John 5:7 ff), but Thomas Merton was willing to toss aside this essential doctrine as a result of the enlightenment  he received through practicing contemplative meditation.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12

Notes:
1. http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/07/daily-07-22-2002.shtml
2. Ray Yungen, A Time of Departing, 2nd Ed. (Silverton: OR, Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2002, 2006) quoting Thomas Merton from Rob Baker and Gray Henry, Editors, Merton and Sufism (Louisville, KY: Fons Vitae, 1999), p. 109.
3. Ibid.
4. Richard Kirby, The Mission of Mysticism (London, UK: SPCK, 1979), p. 7.
5. Ann Wise, The High Performance Mind (Los Angeles, CA: Tarcher/Putnam,1995), p. 57.
6. Barry Long, Meditation, a Foundation Course (Barry Long Books, 1995), p. 13.
7. http://www.ccel.org/newsletter/2/12
8. Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, translated by John Delaney, Image Books edition, 1977, p. 34.
9. Said by Thomas Merton to Matthew Fox, quoted in an online interview that is no longer posted on the web.

Oprah, Butterworth, Tolle and the Divinity of Man

Tolle and the Queen's 'New' Suit of Clothes

In the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, "The Emperor's New Clothes," some swindlers convince the Emperor and his ministers to see a suit of clothes that is actually non-existent. These swindlers convince the Emperor and his ministers by telling them that only "intelligent," well-informed citizens can see the suit. Publicity about the Emperor's "new" suit went out unto all the kingdom as people were told what they were supposed to see. The people realized that if they were to be perceived as "smart" and not seem "stupid" they would see this suit of clothes. And, of course, no one wanted to be perceived as stupid.

Soon it was publicized throughout the kingdom that the Emperor would be showing off his "new" suit of clothes in a public procession several days hence. When the day came, the naked Emperor walked among his people and received unanimous acclaim for his new suit of clothes. The people saw what they had been told to see. "Isn't it absolutely wonderful," all the people proclaimed. "The emperor is all dressed up in his new suit of clothes."

Everyone was so taken by the Emperor's "new" suit of clothes, that they barely heard the little boy who hadn't been told what he was supposed to see. "But the emperor isn't wearing any clothes," said the lad. "The emperor is naked."

Several people heard the boy and realized that what he was saying was true. Suddenly everyone's eyes were opened and they realized they had been tricked into seeing something that wasn't even there. The Emperor wasn't wearing a new suit of clothes. He was as naked as the day that he was born. Swindlers had deceived the Emperor, his ministers, and almost the whole kingdom with their clever scheme.

And so it is with the "New" Age/"New" Spirituality and Oprah Winfrey. Widely regarded as the "Queen" of the airwaves, Oprah has been deceived into seeing a "New" Age/"New" Spirituality "suit of clothes" that simply isn't there. The Queen's advisors - Eric Butterworth, Maya Angelou, Marianne Williamson, Gary Zukav, Neale Donald Walsch, Esther Hicks, Eckhart Tolle, and countless others -- have all been similarly deceived into seeing this "new" way of looking at themselves and the world. Deceived and deceiving, they in turn convinced the Queen that she and everyone in her kingdom just needed to "shift" past their "egos" and "awaken" to the fact that they were already clothed in "Christ" - that they were already wearing this "new" suit from the New Age/New Spirituality wardrobe. All they had to do was accept and affirm the "God" and "Christ" within. Click here to read this entire article along with the three previous sections.

The following events are taking place this week, and each one will include speakers who have contemplative/emerging spiritual affinities. As this message of God is in all quickly permeates much of our world today (a message that negates the Gospel message of the Cross), let us pray that people who are attending will have their eyes opened to the truth. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

Contemplative Retreat Center Being Built for World Leaders

"Away from it all: a retreat for world leaders"

Robert Booth
The Guardian News & Media (UK)
The next time Gordon Brown or Nicholas Sarkozy need a bolt hole in which to recharge their batteries or a place for a private pow-wow, they might find themselves lured to a new retreat amid the pink rocks of the Nevada desert.

Donna Vassar, part of the Vassar education dynasty, has launched plans to build a $300m private getaway for stressed-out presidents and prime ministers who want to "reconnect with their unique purpose in life"....

"The Universitas Leadership Sanctuary will be a centre specifically created to embrace and challenge leaders," says the vision document which Vassar has published. "Together we will create an individual journey leading to the highest place within, enabling leaders to reconnect with their unique purpose in life. They emerge - renewed, with clarity, and reflecting true transformation...."

Patterson [the architect] traveled to study the life and architecture of Buddhist Dzongs (monasteries) in Bhutan and the Christian orthodox monasteries of Mount Athos and Meteora in Greece....

[U]nder a dome of glass, will be the spiritual heart of the development - the contemplation space where leaders will be encouraged to sit in silence. Click here to read this entire article.

The New Old Spirituality

by Roll Over Menno

In this month's Christian Leader Magazine, a publication of the US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, is an article called "The new old spirituality" which correctly states that many people are searching for truth in new and unconventional ways, but unfortunately the article portrays these 'new old' ways in a positive light by saying...

"Returning to ancient spiritual practices can help a new generation re-imagine the power of the gospel..."

These are the 'new old' ways mentioned in the article:

The Prayer Labyrinth
The Prayer Path
Lectio Divina
Taize
The Jesus Prayer (mantra)
Stations of the Cross
Ignatian Examen
Spiritual Direction
Contemplative spiritual disciplines
The Desert Fathers

Click here to read the rest of this article by Roll Over Menno called "The 'new old spirituality' of the US Mennonite Brethren."

Tony Blair: Religion Must be Saved from Extremism

By Maria Mackay
The Christian Post

In his first major speech on religion, Tony Blair said Thursday night that religion must be rescued from extremism and irrelevance and used as a force for good at a time of global turmoil.

Tony Blair tonight called for religious faith to be rescued from extremism and put at the center of solving the world's problems. The former prime minister said that in an increasingly globalized world, the role of faith is 'especially important'. Religion could 'awaken the world's conscience' and help to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to eradicate poverty and hunger, he said. Blair, who converted to Catholicism last year, made the call in a lecture on faith and globalization at Westminster Cathedral. It was the first in "The Cardinal's Lectures" series, organized by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, to examine faith and life in Britain.

"For religion to be a force for good, it must be rescued not simply from extremism, faith as a means of exclusion; but also from irrelevance, an interesting part of our history but not of our future," said Blair. Click here to read this entire article.

Related Information:

Rick Warren Predicts Christian Fundamentalism to be Enemy of 21st Century

Publishing News - New Lighthouse Trails Books for 2008

Newsletter in Print - Coming Soon

If you would like to receive the Coming from the Lighthouse newsletter in print form by mail, please send an email to newsletters@lighthousetrails.com. Be sure and include your mailing address in the email. We will be issuing a printed newsletter several times a year for those who prefer that over the email edition or for some reason need both.

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